The Latest: Cohen to testify publicly before House panel

WASHINGTON — The Latest on President Donald Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, agreeing to testify publicly before Congress (all times local):

10 p.m.

President Donald Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, will testify publicly before a House committee next month in a hearing that could serve as the opening salvo of a Democratic effort to scrutinize Trump, his conflicts of interest and his ties to Russia.

The House Oversight and Reform Committee announced Thursday that Cohen will appear before the panel Feb. 7.

Cohen is a pivotal figure in the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into potential coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign.

Cohen is also involved in the investigation by federal prosecutors in New York into campaign finance violations related to payments to buy the silence of a porn actress and a former Playboy Playmate who say they had sex with Trump.

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4:40 p.m.

President Donald Trump says he's not worried about his former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, testifying before Congress.

Trump told reporters in Texas on Thursday that he's "not worried about it at all." Cohen is set to testify next month before the House Oversight and Reform Committee chaired by Rep. Elijah Cummings, a Maryland Democrat.

Cohen is expected to face tough questions about hush-money payments he arranged on Trump's behalf to keep extramarital affair allegations out of the news during the 2016 presidential election. Those payments were at the center of Cohen's plea to federal campaign finance charges last year. Cohen has said he made the payments at Trump's direction and with the intent to influence the election.

Cohen has also admitted lying to Congress about a Trump Tower deal in Russia during the campaign.

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3:45 p.m.

President Donald Trump's longtime legal fixer, Michael Cohen, says he has accepted an invitation from a top House Democrat to testify publicly before Congress next month.

Cohen said Thursday in a statement that he looks forward to having a platform to give a "full and credible account of the events which have transpired." He is set to testify before the House Oversight and Reform Committee, which is investigating payments made during the 2016 campaign to silence women who claimed to have had sex with Trump. Trump has denied the trysts.

Cohen's testimony also comes after he pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about his role in a Trump business proposal in Russia considered during the campaign.

Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison. He reports to prison March 6.

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3:35 p.m.

President Donald Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, will testify publicly before Congress next month.

Cohen's testimony before the House Oversight and Reform Committee will be the first major public hearing for Democrats, who have promised greater scrutiny of Trump.

Cohen is a pivotal figure in investigations by special counsel Robert Mueller into potential coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign, and by federal prosecutors in New York into campaign finance violations related to hush-money payments to two women who say they had sex with Trump. Trump has denied it.

Cohen has pleaded guilty in both investigations and was sentenced last month to three years in prison.

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